Fair Trade!

What is fair trade coffee? Fair trade is a movement that promotes the alleviation of the global poverty level and sustainability. How? Well, it sets regulations on the price, social, and environmental standards of coffee from developing nations to developed nations.
An example of a fair trade coffee organization in Costa Rica is Coocafé. They are a small organization and therefore need to promote the strength of small farmers, to ensure their sustainability, due to the fact that the market is so large. Only a little over half of their production is going to fair trade, which, over ten years has brought $7 million in income out of $40 million.

Why is fair trade coffee a good thing? According to the text, Corporate Survival: The Critical Importance of Sustainability Risk Management, there are three objectives that must be met in order to maximize shareholder value; financial performance, environmental performance, and social justice performance. I’m going to explain how fair trade is meeting these requirements.

1. Financial Performance: A key advantage is that companies can use the difference in the fair trade market price and conventional market price to help the business. For example, they can use that to help their producers. Since most of their producers are small farmers, they need to help them financially to ensure sustainability. Without those small farmers, Costa Rica wouldn’t produce enough coffee. Also, this will allow for the companies to withstand times of hardship, such as high production and low sales.

2. Environmental Performance: Another key advantage is that companies can use that same difference in price to help the environment. For example, Coocafé had donated $3.5 million over the past ten years to help with the sustainability of our environment. That money has been used for organic coffee production, reforestation, development of hydro-electric programs and coffee dryers, etc.

3. Social Justice Performance: The first two were straight forward, but what is social justice? Well, according to the text, it refers to concepts of fairness and equity in dealing with workers, local communities, and people in other countries. 5% of Costa Rica’s labor force is employed by a coffee organization, which is a good amount of people. So, how are companies, like Coocafé, helping build this aspect of the triangle? Well, they are not only promoting a good work environment for the employees, but also education. This, not only has a direct effect on their employees, but also the larger effect on the community.

I predict that fair trade coffee will continue to grow only if they keep meeting these expectations and continuing to push their limits.

Information from: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/coffee/cooperatives.html

Monteverde!!!

After visiting the waterfall, we had to hike all the way back up, which was a good workout! We then went to lunch at the hotel. After lunch, we went on a hike around Arenal Volcano. The coolest part of the hike was that we got to see volcanic rock from the last eruption, more than 40 years ago. After the long hike, we went back to the hotel to rest for the night. The next morning (Sunday, May 25, 2008) we left for Monteverde. To get there we had to travel by boat across the Arenal Lake and then drive the rest of the way. When getting to Monteverde, we got checked into the hotel, ate lunch, and then had a break before canopying. The zip-lining through the cloud forest (in the rain!) has been one of the best experiences on the trip. Not only was it gorgeous, but it also got your heart beat going a little bit. I'm sorry, I was unable to take any pictures because I was afraid of getting my camera wet or breaking it. My favorite (and scariest) line was called the Tarzan Swing, where you were literally attached to a rope and pushed of a 50-75 foot cliff and we able to swing back and forth! All of the lines were great because you were zipping across large valleys and couldn’t even see across because of the clouds (Monteverde is a cloud forest)! After the canopying we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. That night we went to a local pizza shop, which was delicious. Also, we were able to celebrate Rob’s twentieth birthday! After getting back to the hotel, we went on a tour of the Monteverde forest at night. My favorite part was the part where the guide pointed out some bats to us (I had never seen a bat before)! After getting soaking wet from the tour, we went back to the hotel to dry off. After that most of us ended up staying up late playing Mafia, which was a lot of fun! The next morning (Monday, May 26, 2008) we went on the same tour as the night before, to see different animals. Now, I can see why Monteverde is one of the number one eco-tourism spots in Costa Rica, because of its beautiful and natural environment! Overall, it was an awesome weekend!

Waterfall!!!

After visiting the hydro-electric plant, we all went to a horse stable (which I was unable to take any pictures of due to the fact I did not want to break my camera). From there we rode horses up this trail to get to the waterfall. It was my first time ever riding a horse and it was fun! After about half an hour we reached our destination and dropped off the horses. From there we had to walk down (a good distance) to get to the waterfall. It was gorgeous (all of the pictures above)! Even though the water was freezing, we jumped in and went swimming. After this trip (and seeing the waterfall), I definitely know why Costa Rica is one of the highest grossing eco-tourism countries in the world.

Hydro-Electric Plant

The following morning (Saturday, May 24, 2008) we were able to visit a hydro-electric plant. First, we saw the dam and the beautiful scenery of Costa Rica (the first two pictures). Then, we drove down to the plant to see how the electricity is produced (the last three pictures). The water that is built up from the dam is transported through two different tubes and then enters the plant. The water, which has a lot of built up energy, is then used to run a turbine, which then produces electricity. After the water is used it is then filtered out of the plant and into a creek. Besides the fact the dam alters the environment, hydro-electric power is one of the most sustaining ways to produce energy. This is because the water is not being used up and wasted, but is pumped back outside and is able to continue an endless cycle.

Hot Springs!

Well, this weekend was an adventure to say the least. We started on Friday, May 23, 2008 by traveling to this small town to see Arenal Volcano. Below, you can see various pictures of the volcano. After getting settled into the hotel we went to the hot springs! There we were able to get in the water, which was around 105 degrees. It was a beautiful place, as you can tell by the first picture above. Also, we went down one of the craziest slides that I have ever gone down. I literally got air going down it! Finally, some of the members of the group wanted to get into the hottest spring they had, which was close to 120 degrees (the fourth picture above)! And after I saw some of the girls get in, I knew that I had to do it too. So, Rob & I sucked it up and were able to sit in it for a few minutes (the second & third picture above). Wow, was it hot! Next, we had a delicious dinner and then went back to the hotel to get some rest.

Arenal Volcano!!!

The History!

Today, bananas are one of the largest revenue generators of Costa Rica. Well, how did it come to be that way? It all started in the year 1878 when banana planting and cultivation began. An interesting fact is that Costa Rica was the first Central America nation to begin this process. In the early 1900's the United Fruit Company, founded by Minor Keith, became and established banana plantation. At that time, Costa Rica was the number one producer of bananas in the world. However, in the year 1934 a strike occured resulting in the shut down of banana production in Costa Rica. The production began again when equal wages were given to all workers. In the 1950's another company stepped in to fulfill the demand for bananas, and that was the Standard Fruit Company. They began production in 1956 and began exporting in '59. However, it was also shut down in 1985 due to a 72-day strike. They were able to bounce back but were condemned in 1992 due to pollution. According to a main theme in Corporate Survival: The Critical Importance of Sustainability Risk Management, is it more important to make the right choice, but endore more costs in the short-run and large rewards in the long-run or the wrong choice to make a quick dollar and face the consequences when they come? For the Standard Fruit Company, they made a wrong choice and were effected by that in the long-run. However, they bounced back again. Today, BANDECO (Del Monte) and the Standard Fruit Company (Dole) are the leading exporters of Costa Rican bananas.

How are bananas prepared? Well, first the plantations use incecticides to protect their product. Then the large bunches are cut off the stalk, placed on a large belt to transport them to other labors to sort. Then they are washed and then placed into boxes for shipment. Now, there are two sustainabile issues that must be addressed. First, the bags that are used for shipment have incecticide in them and are usually disposed of into the sea. Not only are these chemicals spreading through the water, but many turtles are also choking on these bags mistaking them as jellyfish. The second point is that the fertilizers that have many different chemicals in them are being washed out to sea. This has a direct effect on coral reefs, as many are dying. Again, we must ask ourself this question while thinking of the seventh generation ahead of us, is it worth destroying our planet in order to make a short-run profit or should we be making environmentally sound decisions and be thinking of the long-run?

Information from: http://www.kostaryka.org/banany2489/